SHERPA/RoMEO API Survey 2010

. . . opening access to research

SHERPA/RoMEO API Survey 2010

The RoMEO API is a machine-to-machine interface that lets programs query the RoMEO database of publishers' open access archiving policies and to incorporate the results in applications. See: http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/api.html.
RoMEO itself is about to undergo radical changes. These will affect the API and present opportunities for new features and functions. This survey serves two purposes:
To gather information on how people use the API, and the direction in which they would like it to develop. To help delegates prepare for the interactive sessions at the RoMEO API Workshop being held on 1st Sept. at the Repository Fringe 2010, Edinburgh, Scotland.
1. General Opinions on the Current RoMEO API
*Likes*
1.:
2.:
3.:
*Dislikes*
1.:
2.:
3.:
*Missing/Could improve*
1.:
2.:
3.:
2. If you already use the RoMEO API:
*What do you use the API for?*

*Names & URLs for your Public Applications*
	Name	URL
1.:
2.:
3.:
3. Types of RoMEO API Query
*Please rate the importance of the following query types for your applications?*
		Unimportant					Vital
		0	1	2	3	4	5
	Journal title/keywords:
	Journal follow-up queries:
	ISSN/ESSN:
	Publisher name/keywords:
	RoMEO publisher ID:
	RoMEO colour:
	All publishers (for local caching):
	Mandate Compliance (specific funder):
	Mandate Compliance (all funders):
4. Opinions on how the API Works
This section seeks your opinions on the mechanisms and data formats with which your applications interact with the API.
*The API's URL & argument parameters*

*Returned XML Attributes & Elements*

*Returning data in non-English languages (V.2.6 & 2.7 only)*

*Follow-up journal queries (having found multiple results)*

5. Importance of Current API Data Elements
*Please rate the importance of following data for your applications*
		Unimportant					Vital
		0	1	2	3	4	5
*<header> section*
	Query parameters & timestamp:
	Outcome reports:
	Licence & Disclaimer:
*<journals> section*
	Journal title:
	ISSN:
	Publisher names:
*<publishers> section*
	RoMEO Record ID:
	Publisher's name & URL:
	Permissions, Restrictions & Conditions:
	Paid OA options:
	Funders' mandate compliance:
	Copyright policy links:
	RoMEO colour:
	Record dates:
*Article Versions*
	Pre-print policies:
	Post-print policies:
	[Publisher's version/PDF]:
6. Forthcoming Improvements to RoMEO Journals Data
RoMEO is building its own database of journals for the publishers it lists. From autumn 2010, this will used alongside the DOAJ and Zetoc databases to improve journal searches. The new database introduces new fields, and raises the possibility new types of API query. See our OR10 poster for more information.
*Please rate the potential usefulness of following new features for your applications*
		Unimportant					Vital
	*General*	0	1	2	3	4	5
	The new RoMEO journals database generally:
	*New fields*
	Alternative journal titles (multilingual variants, abbreviations, etc.):
	Journal home page URLs:
	Electronic ISSNs:
	Journal-specific RoMEO colours:
	Journal-specific compliance with funders' mandates:
*Are there any new types of journal API query that you might wish to run?*
1.:
2.:
3.:
7. Forthcoming Improvements to RoMEO publisher Data
As a prelude to internationalisation, RoMEO is improving the standardisation of the phrases and terminology it uses in its data, and revised the data model to include new fields. See our OR10 poster for more information. The API has deliberately not yet caught up with changes in the human version of RoMEO, in order not to break existing applications. In particular, separate data is not yet returned for Publisher's version/PDF. However, the improvements we are making mean that version 3 of the API will incorporate radical changes, and aim to be more future proof.
*Please rate the usefulness of following new & changed data for your applications*
		Unimportant					Vital
		0	1	2	3	4	5
	Change of version terminology (Pre-print --> Author's submitted version, Post-print --> Author's accepted version):
	Mnemonics for standardised RoMEO phrases:
	Sources for each publisher statement:
	Historical data where policies have changed:
	Prices of Paid OA options:
	Publisher's home country:
	Data available in non-English languages:
	RoMEO colour based on best archivable version rather than combined pre/post-print permissions:
	Publisher contact details:
*Are there any new types of publisher API query that you might wish to run?*
1.:
2.:
3.:
8. Your Development Environment
*What programming language(s) do you use?* - e.g. JavaScript, Perl, PHP, VB, etc.

*What is your preferred way of accessing APIs?* - e.g. fopen, get, post, etc.

*What software packages do you use the API with?* - e.g. DSpace, EPrints, Symplectic, etc.

*Do you develop non-English language interfaces?* - If so, which languages?

9. Specific Preferences
*Minimum notice period required for major changes to the API*
	months
*Minimum period old API versions should be supported*
	months
*Preferred way of receiving API technical news*
	Email RoMEO home page RSS feed Discussion list Blog Twitter
*Additional data formats/schemas (e.g. JSON, RDF, etc)? If so, what?*

10. Remarks

11. About You - for SHERPA use only
	The information below will not be given to third parties without your permission.
Your Name*:
Job Title*:
Email Address*:
Organisation*:
Are you going to the RoMEO API Workshop on the 1st September at the Repository Fringe 2010?:		Yes No Interested future API workshops
* Required information